MEMORIAL TO COLUMBUS IS EARTHQUAKE-PROOF (Feb, 1932)

MEMORIAL TO COLUMBUS IS EARTHQUAKE-PROOF

Earthquake-proof because of its massive and low-hung design, an impressive memorial is to be erected on the island of Santo Domingo in the Caribbean Sea to commemorate the arrival of Columbus on his historic voyage. It will be floodlit and surmounted by a powerful beacon, to serve as a lighthouse for mariners and airmen. An airport is to be built nearby. The design for the Columbus memorial, a tapering cross in form, was conceived by a twenty-four-year-old British architect, and recently was selected as the best of 450 submitted from architects of forty countries in an international competition.

Interesting history behind this one. Wikipedia claims construction didn’t begin until 1948. Another source (http://www.carnaval.com…) says the first stones were finally laid in 1986. Wikipedia goes on to say the project wasn’t finished until 1992, at a total cost of $70 million. 60 years to build it, and it all started here.

TimE says: February 17, 20115:37 pm

Neat, it has a real Bel Geddes look to it.

Richard says: February 18, 201111:43 am

Interesting that they say it’s to be built “on the island of Santo Domingo”. It’s actually in the city of Santo Domingo, which is in the Dominican Republic, which is on the island of Hispaniola.

I’m not sure if the geographic names and usage have changed since the 1930s, or if the editors just missed that one.

Charlene says: February 18, 20118:51 pm

“Santo Domingo” was also the name of the Spanish colony that later became known as the Dominican Republic. English-language sources from the early 20th century sometimes used the name of the old colony to refer to the island.

Stan says: February 21, 20112:39 pm

@fluffy: Just a few would complain, mostly middle or upper class white people from the coasts of the US, but the majority of those that live there probably wouldn’t think about that.